Seeing a dentist is essential to maintaining ideal oral health throughout your life. You may only need to see one dentist your entire life while others see three or four on a regular basis. Someone who sees more than one dentist likely does for different reasons. There are a number of different dentists who generally specialize in different kinds of dentistry. There are six main different kinds of dentists you may see in your lifetime.
Pediatric Dentist
A pediatric dentist may very well be the first dentist you ever saw. That’s because pediatric dentists only treat children and children’s teeth. They specialize in teaching good oral hygiene habits and preventing early dental health problems from occurring. In addition to regular early dental cleanings, they can seal children’s teeth to prevent potential future cavities. A pediatric dentist keeps record of how your child’s teeth are developing and ensures they are all there. Pediatric dentists can also help you as a parent correct poor oral habits like thumb sucking or nighttime grinding. As you or your child age, you will likely have to find a general dentist to go to instead of a pediatric one. Typically, at around age 16 is when children begin seeing a regular dentist.
General dentist
A general dentist focuses mainly on disease prevention and will likely be the kind of dentist most people see. Each dentist offers general and specific advice to improve and maintain each patient’s oral health. General dentists typically see patients on a semi annual basis. At each appointment, they perform regular dental cleanings, x-rays, and even minor cosmetic procedures like whitening or mending cracked teeth. If a general dentist finds a minor problem like a cavity or stain, they may schedule you for a new appointment to correct the issue. Your general dentist will also look out for concerns regarding oral cancers. You can inquire about oral dental screenings which identify abnormal tissue growths. Finally, your general dentist will make recommendations for any specialized treatment you may need. For example, your general dentist may suggest braces to correct bite issues, or a custom mouthguard to prevent nighttime grinding. After making specialized treatment suggestions, they will likely write a referral. To one of the following dentists.
Orthodontist
Orthodontists are Dentists who specialize in correcting incorrectly positioned teeth and issues with dental bones. Most people will see an orthodontist at some point in their life to assess jaw development and teeth growth. Orthodontists perform a wide variety of correctional treatments including braces, palate adjusters, and even headgear. There is no specific age limit to seeing an orthodontist either. Their patient ages range from as young as 5 or 6 to older than 50. Specific conditions orthodontists correct include: overbite, underbite, crossbite, open bite, overcrowding, and malpositioned teeth.
Oral Surgeon
Oral surgeons are a 4th category of dentists. You will typically visit an oral surgeon if you need to have your wisdom teeth removed. Oral surgeons also work with other oral soft tissues like cheeks, tongue, palate, and gums. If you need to have a section of oral tissue removed, an oral surgeon will likely be the one who performs the surgery rather than your general dentist. Oral surgeons perform a wide variety of functional and cosmetic surgeries, but typically do not stay in contact with patients much longer following the procedure. Oral surgeons are essential to dentistry because they set groundwork for all other treatments.
Periodontist
If you ever have a serious issue with your gums, gumline, or gum tissue, you will probably be referred to the periodontist. Periodontists work specifically with everything gums. Most of their work has to do with diagnosing and treating extreme cases of gum disease or periodontitis. While most of their work has to do with treating gum disease, they also install dental implants and conduct gum grafts. That’s why periodontists generally work very closely with other dentists like prosthodontists and oral surgeons.
Prosthodontist
If you ever have a missing tooth, chances are, your general dentist will refer you to a prosthodontist. A prosthodontist works with patients looking to cosmetically modify a smile in ways braces are not able to. Missing teeth, misshapen teeth, and complex conditions are all conditions a prosthodontist can work with. A prosthodontist will use devices like crowns, dental implants, dentures, and veneers to provide patients with the smile they originally did not have. These processes are carried out for both cosmetic and functional purposes. After visiting a prosthodontist, a patient may find it more comfortable to eat, easier to speak properly and develop greater confidence in their smile.
Endodontist
So far, we’ve covered general dentistry, oral surgery, gums, and dental prosthetics, now it’s time to dive into the dentist who focuses on the deeper anatomy of the tooth. An Endodontist works with the soft tissue beneath the tooth’s hard outer surface, the dental pulp. If you ever develop an infection within the tooth, without treatment, you risk serious lasting pain and even death. Infected tooth pulp can result from injury, general decay, and more. Your endodontist will either recommend a root canal or in some cases extraction to prevent further damage and decay.
As you see, there are a number of different types of dentistry. Each of these is essential to preserving dental health. Each of these different dentists may work independently, or all within the same office.
Author’s Bio
Nicole Howe is a content writer at BreezeMaxWeb. When she isn’t writing, you can find her walking half marathons, biking, or watching Raptors basketball!
